U.S. sees some half-million COVID-19 cases in a week

Almost half a million people in the United States have contracted the coronavirus in the past week alone.

Gloria Tso reports.

Nearly half a million Americans have contracted the coronavirus in the past week alone.

That's according to a Reuters tally, and comes as cases and hospitalizations surge to new records in hotspots across the Midwest.

The tally shows that 5,600 Americans died from the virus in the past week, with hospitalizations shooting up 13%.

But despite the resurgence of the virus across the country, U.S. President Donald Trump defended his administration's response to the pandemic on Tuesday (October 27).

"We've done a great job, and people are starting to see." While conceding there would likely be no COVID relief deal until after the election next week.

"We will take back the House we'll hold the Senate, we'll hold the White House." States like Colorado and Illinois have walked back their reopening plans as they try to stop the virus.

Health experts believe the virus is surging because of colder temperatures driving people inside, private social gatherings and fatigue with COVID-19 precautions.

And as outbreaks worsen in hotly contested "battleground" states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where Trump campaigned on Tuesday, the pandemic is likely to remain at the forefront of Americans' minds ahead of Election Day.